DE-AS 11 59 724 discloses a method and apparatus for continuous winding of strand-like material in which the winding reels are arranged positioned on a turntable in one plane. When reels are to be changed, the empty reels are brought into the winding position by rotating the turntable. The use of auxiliary reels plays an important role in this prior art apparatus. The auxiliary reels are arranged coaxially with the main reel and continue to wind up the strand-like material during the changing of the reels.
Another reel-changing apparatus is disclosed in DE-OS 20 49 615. This prior art apparatus provides a movable unit for several stationary winding stations. A motor-driven auxiliary reel is placed in front of a reel for which winding is completed. The wire strand is transferred from the completed reel to the auxiliary reel and continues to be wound thereon until the wire is cut off.
The winding process onto the auxiliary reel is continued when the movable unit with the auxiliary reel is pushed on a track to one side of the winding station so that the completed reel can be removed from the winding station and an empty reel inserted. Then, the movable unit with the auxiliary reel moves in line in front of the axis of the empty reel which has been put in place in the winding station. The winding of the wire is then transferred from the auxiliary reel to the empty reel.
The known prior art methods and apparatuses for changing reels have several disadvantages. A relatively long time interval is required for changing reels. Special auxiliary reels are required. A large amount of wire is accumulated on the auxiliary reels and this wire is scrap. At today's high operating speeds, the amount of scrap is no longer negligible.